HOUSTON – Bracewell LLP maintained its reputation for market leadership in finance, transactional, regulatory and litigation matters, as the Legal 500 United States 2025 recognized the firm across an array of sectors, including energy, banking and finance, infrastructure and technology.
Overall, Bracewell was recognized in 28 practice areas, including capital markets, commercial lending, commercial litigation, environmental litigation, environmental regulatory, environmental transactions, financial restructuring, government relations, labor and employment, M&A, oil and gas litigation, oil and gas transactions, outsourcing, power litigation, power regulatory, power transactions, project finance, renewable energy, real estate, securities litigation, tax and white-collar criminal defense.
The firm’s energy prowess was particularly evident as Bracewell earned high rankings across seven different categories. For the ninth consecutive year, the firm secured a Tier 1 ranking in Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas.
In addition, the firm received 130 individual recognitions, including 14partners who were named Leading Lawyers or Hall of Fame members in 2025:
- Stephen L. Braga (Washington, DC) – Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense
- Michael W. Brooks (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas
- Stephen B. Crain (Houston) – Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas
- Eugene R. Elrod (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas (Hall of Fame)
- Jeff R. Holmstead (Washington, DC) – Environment: Regulatory
- Jason B. Hutt (Washington, DC) – Environment: Transactional
- Mark K. Lewis (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas
- Catherine P. McCarthy (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Electric Power (Hall of Fame)
- Elizabeth L. McGinley (New York) – US Taxes: Non-Contentious
- D. Kirk Morgan II (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas
- G. Alan Rafte (Houston) – Energy Transaction: Oil and Gas (Hall of Fame)
- Danielle M. Varnell (Washington, DC) – Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power; and Industry Focus: Energy Transactions: Electric Power
- Richard F. Whiteley (Houston) – Construction (Including Construction Litigation)
- Timothy A. Wilkins (Austin) – Environment: Transactional; and Environment: Regulatory
In addition, six Bracewell lawyers were singled out as Next Generation Partners or Leading Associates:
- Shannon Baldwin (Houston) – Energy Transactions: Electric Power (Leading Associate)
- George D. Fatula (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas (Next Generation Partner)
- Tyler S. Johnson (Seattle) – Energy Regulation: Electric Power (Next Generation Partner)
- Parker A. Lee (New York) – Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas (Next Generation Partner)
- Boris Shkuta (Washington, DC) – Energy Regulation: Electric Power (Leading Associate)
- Kenni C. Wilkinson (Houston) – Finance: Commercial Lending (Leading Associate)
For nearly 40 years, the Legal 500 has evaluated law firms across more than 150 jurisdictions, drawing on insights from 300,000 clients globally, detailed law firm submissions, and interviews with top private practice lawyers.
2025 Rankings
Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense
- Nicole Boeckmann
- Stephen L. Braga – Leading Lawyer
- Seth D. DuCharme
- Matthew G. Nielsen
- David A. Shargel
- Jeffery B. Vaden
Capital Markets: Debt
- Will Anderson
- Todd W. Eckland
- Troy L. Harder
- Catherine Hood
Capital Markets: Equity
- Will Anderson
- Shannon Baldwin
- Todd W. Eckland
- Troy L. Harder
- Catherine Hood
- Stephen C. McNamara
Commercial Lending – Advice to Borrowers
- Heather L. Brown
- Jeris Diana Brunette
- Andrew C.J. Bueso
- Kate H. Day
- Dewey J. Gonsoulin Jr.
- Young June Jhe
Commercial Lending – Advice to Bank Lenders
- Dylan W. Benac
- Heather L. Brown
- Dewey J. Gonsoulin Jr.
- Rebecca Keep
- Stephanie Koo Song
- Kenni C. Wilkinson – Leading Associate
Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional
- Matthew B. Grunert
Energy Litigation: Electric Power
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Michael W. Brooks
- Stephen B. Crain
- Rachel Goldman
- Tyler S. Johnson
- Deanna E. King
- Catherine P. McCarthy
Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Stephen B. Crain – Leading Partner
- Drew Taggart
Energy Regulation: Electric Power
- Michael W. Brooks
- Theodore F. Duver
- Tyler S. Johnson – Next Generation Partner
- Deanna E. King
- Catherine P. McCarthy – Hall of Fame
- Boris Shkuta – Leading Associate
Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas
- Michelle T. Boudreaux
- Michael W. Brooks – Leading Partner
- Annie Cook
- Eugene R. Elrod – Hall of Fame
- George D. Fatula
- Mark K. Lewis – Leading Partner
- Catherine D. Little
- D. Kirk Morgan II – Leading Partner
Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power
- Hans P. Dyke
- Ryan S. Holcomb
- Fernando Rodriguez Marin
- Nicolai J. Sarad
- Laura D. Sheldon
- Danielle M. Varnell – Leading Partner
Energy Transactions: Electric Power
- Shannon Baldwin – Leading Associate
- Ryan S. Holcomb
- Catherine Hood
- Laura D. Sheldon
- Danielle M. Varnell – Leading Partner
Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas
- Lytch T. Gutmann
- Jason M. Jean
- Austin T. Lee
- Parker A. Lee – Next Generation Partner
- Benjamin J. Martin
- James “JJ” McAnelly III
- G. Alan Rafte – Hall of Fame
Environment: Litigation
- Kevin D. Collins
- Jason B. Hutt
- Ann D. Navaro
Environment: Regulatory
- Sara M. Burgin
- Kevin D. Collins
- Kevin A. Ewing
- Jeffrey R. Holmstead – Leading Partner
- Jason B. Hutt
- Ann D. Navaro
- Matt Paulson
- Whit Swift
- Timothy A. Wilkins – Leading Partner
Environment: Transactional
- Kevin A. Ewing
- Jason B. Hutt – Leading Partner
- Matt Paulson
- Timothy A. Wilkins – Leading Partner
General Commercial Disputes
- W. Stephen Benesh
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Daniel S. Connolly
- Stephen B. Crain
- Rachel Goldman
- Jonathon K. Hance
- David A. Shargel
- Drew Taggart
Government Relations
- Joseph Brazauskas
- E. Dee Martin
- Scott H. Segal
- Andrew Shaw
- Kyle Spencer
- Joshua C. Zive
Insurance: Advice to Policyholders*
M&A/Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Middle Market ($500m-999m)
- Will Anderson
- Lytch T. Gutmann
- Jason M. Jean
- Benjamin J. Martin
Outsourcing
- Jeffrey B. Andrews
- Jonathon K. Hance
- Lucy Porter
Project Finance
- Jeris Diana Brunette
- Blakeley Fernandez
- Fernando Rodriguez Marin
- G. Alan Rafte
- Nicolai J. Sarad
- Thomas M. Tomlinson
Real Estate: Construction
- Aaron P. Roffwarg
- Phillip L. Sampson Jr.
- Richard F. Whiteley – Leading Partner
Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate
- Jason G. Cohen
- Mark E. Dendinger
- William A. (Trey) Wood III
Securities Litigation: Defense
- W. Stephen Benesh
- Bradley J. Benoit
- Bryan S. Dumesnil
- Matthew G. Nielsen
- Tony L. Visage
US Taxes: Non-Contentious
- Gregory M. Bopp
- Bucky Brannen
- R. Todd Greenwalt
- J. Dean Hinderliter
- Elizabeth L. McGinley – Leading Partner
- Peter W. Rogers
- Brian P. Teaff
* Firm practice ranking only
